This invention generally relates to rotary machines, and more specifically to assembling and disassembling rotary machines.
Occasionally, the impeller rotor and blades of a rotary machine such as a centrifugal compressor or expander must be removed from the machine for cleaning, maintenance, or replacement. For example, rotary machines are often used with fluids containing a significant amount of particulates or debris. Over a period of time, these particulates and debris tend to collect or accumulate on the impeller blade surfaces, necessitating periodic removal of the impeller rotor and blades from the machine to clean or replace the blade surfaces. Routine inspection and maintenance, for example to repair or realign a rotor seal or blade, may also require removal of the impeller rotor from the machine.
Typically, in order to remove an impeller rotor from a rotary machine, a large portion of the machine must be disassembled. Many of the parts which must be disassembled are large, heavy, and thus difficult to maneuver. Moreover, when reassembled, usually these parts must be accurately aligned relative to each other and to any equipment used with the rotary machine such as an electric motor or generator. As a result, disassembly and reassembly of a rotary machine requires skilled labor. Further, of course, the machine is inoperable and, hence, unproductive while being assembled and disassembled.